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Bachelor of Science in Nursing for RNs (RN-BSN) Curriculum

Building upon a liberal arts foundation, the RN-BSN program expands the student’s nursing knowledge, skills, and professional role. The program prepares the nursing graduate, based on the AACN (2008) Essentials, to provide holistic, evidence-based nursing care, in health and in illness, with diverse populations in the ever-changing and complex healthcare environment. The graduate will be able to function as an integral member of an interprofessional team promoting patient safety, cultural sensitivity, and quality outcomes. The BSN graduate will demonstrate clinical reasoning, care management and evaluation skills, use of informatics technology, and genetics/genomics knowledge through professional nursing practice with patients across the lifespan in various healthcare settings. These nurses are committed to ongoing professional education and scholarly work to remain current in the generalist nursing role.

The RN-BSN program at Chatham University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, One
Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 530, Washington DC 20036, (202)887-6791.

Program Structure:
The RN-BSN program is an accelerated online distance learning program that requires completion of a minimum total of 120 credit hours, including 140 practice experience hours, in college level courses. Practice experiences are completed at approved practice experience sites of the student’s choosing with the guidance of an approved preceptor. Cohorts are admitted each session.
Students can enroll in full-time, less-than full-time, part-time, or less-than-part-time studies. Students must maintain a cumulative 2.0 GPA or better to be awarded
the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. All undergraduate students must satisfy the General Education
requirements either through articulation agreement or completion of additional coursework.

Program Requirements

This course will teach students how to develop and apply skills in locating, evaluating, and synthesizing information from a variety of resources. Over the course of five weeks, students will complete five assignments that are specific to each week's topic. This work is to be completed outside of class and is designed to help complete projects and papers in NUR402.

1

NUR402

Health Policy and Finance

This course is designed to explore the role of Health and Public Policy, financial considerations, formulation and role of legislation and regulation, and ethical principles related to ANA Code of Ethics. Also addressed are topics including value-based purchasing, end-of-life care, living wills, advanced directives, social networking and Affordable Care Act.

This course will enable students to critically review nursing research, choose a relevant clinical issue to examine, explore literature, and utilize nursing research in clinical practice. Ethical principles of nursing research, particularly protection of human subjects and other ethical accountabilities focusing on research utilization and evidence-based practice will be explored.

3

NUR409

Clinical Prevention, Population and Environmental Health

This course provides a framework for the development of nursing interventions promoting population and environmental health for individuals and communities. Health promotion will be a significant focus of this course.

3

NUR410

Global Cultural Diversity and Specialty Population Nursing

This course is focused on various cultural and specialty populations. Multiple aspects of culture, vulnerability, and needs of individual populations will be analyzed and discussed. Content includes issues of ethics, social justice, health literacy, and barriers to care. (35 clinical hours required)

3

NUR411

Geriatric Nursing

Multiple aspects of geriatric health and the aging population will be explored. Specific nursing interventions to promote older adult health will be covered including pharmacological considerations, nutrition, elder abuse, sexuality, coping with loss and grief, health and wellness promotion and the continuum of care. (35 clinical hours required)

3

NUR412

Nursing Communication and Quality Improvement

This course will prepare the student for effective communication and collaboration amongst the interprofessional team with the goal of practicing high quality, safe, patient-centered care. Topics of quality improvement and interprofessional communication will be emphasized.

3

NUR499W

Nursing Leadership and Professional Practicum

This culminating course encompasses various aspects of professionalism and leadership while shadowing multiple leaders in the clinical setting. Students will apply leadership concepts and decision making skills in the provision of high quality nursing care. (70 clinical hours required)

Liberal Arts courses to fulfill General Education requirements for RN-BSN students include the following. Other course options may be available to fulfill requirements. Students should consult with their Academic Advisor. (Note: Requirements may vary based on articulation agreements)

ART141

Media Literacy

This course introduces students to the Macintosh computer interface and related media practices. Students explore digital foundations, media related histories, theoretical frameworks and critical examination of production elements as they discover how computers are radically changing the way image makers create and present their work. Cross listed as COM 141. Additional Fee(s): Course Computing Fee.

3

BIO119

Medical Terminology

This course is designed for students who need a broad coverage of medical terminology and who have little or no background. It includes studies of etymology and human anatomy. There is a special emphasis on clinical applications. Three hours of lecture including media presentations per week.

3

BUS101

ENG241

Business Writing

Business writing is designed to help students write clearly and effectively about a variety of subjects for specific audiences. Through actual writing practice and discussions of readings, a number of important issues are addressed, such as targeting an audience, determining methods of organization, and developing a flexible style.

3

MUS266

World Music

The course focuses on the music and related arts of selected major civilizations of the world, including India, China, and Japan as well as areas such as Southeast Asia, South America, and Africa. Emphasis is placed on the factors resulting in art that is sometimes quite different from Western music.

3

MTH110

Elementary Statistics

Topics include statistical measures and distributions, decision making under uncertainty, application of probability to statistical inference, linear correlation, introduction to nonparametric statistical methods, and application to problems drawn from the natural and social sciences. Three hours of class per week. Three hours of class per week.

3

PSY101

General Psychology

An introduction to the scientific study of behavior with an emphasis on the origins of behavior, learning, social influences, physiological factors, individual differences, personality, and adjustment and maladjustment.

3

PSY152

Human Growth and Development

Physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development are studied throughout the life span. Major theories of development are discussed. Applications and examples are presented from applied contexts. Special needs of individuals at various stages throughout the life span are addressed. This course is NOT a substitute for 200 and 300 level development courses that apply toward majors in psychology and social work and certification in education. Does not count towards the psych major.

RN-BSN students are required to complete a minimum of 140 self-directed practice experience hours during the program. The hours are completed at three different sites during three different courses: NUR 410 (35 hours), NUR 411 (35 hours) and NUR 499 (70 hours). The RN-BSN practice experiences enable students to meet the program outcomes and goals while empowering the student to address current challenges and initiatives in the areas of geriatrics, special populations, and leadership. For each practice experience, a qualified preceptor and practice experience site are identified and approved before the beginning of the course so that the experience can begin day one of the course. A signed affiliation agreement must be in place with the practice experience site before engaging in any practice experiences. It is the responsibility of the student to comply with agency requirements specific to physical examinations, immunizations, CRP certification, drug screening, and criminal record background checks, and submit all associated documentation directly to the program experience agency. The Nursing Programs practice experience coordinator is available to assist students with each step of the practice experience process.

Students may transfer up to 90 credit hours of college level courses into the program. First degree students who graduated before December 2015 from select pre-licensure nursing schools that hold an articulation agreement with Chatham may be able to transfer up to 94 credits into the programthrough Summer 2019. Beginning Fall 2019 all first degree students may transfer in a maximum of 90 credits. Second degree students who have already earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education and an Associate or Diploma degree from a nursing program may complete the RN-BSN at Chatham University by completing only the 26 required core RN-BSN credits. All requests for transfer credit
must be made prior to enrollment. A minimum of 30 credits, including the 26 required core RN-BSN credits, must be
completed at Chatham University, unless students transferred in 94 credits.

While a minor is not required for the BSN degree, students who need more than the 26 core RN-BSN credits – or who are interested in business or psychology – might choose to pursue a minor (18 credits) in Business or Psychology through online courses. If a student is interested in pursuing a minor they should communicate this to their Nursing Academic Advisor upon admission in order to fit the needed courses into their schedule.

Plan of Study Examples

Students in the RN-BSN Program are welcome to schedule their courses as is convenient for them in relation to the availability of the courses. Note that certain courses are only offered in session one and other courses are only offered in session three. Students must keep in mind that there are 3 courses with practice experience reuirement(NUR410, NUR411, and NUR499). Students are discouraged from taking two courses with practice experience in the same 7-week session. Below are examples of how students can schedule their courses. Students are asked to work closely with their academic advisor to create a schedule that works best for them.